NTMWD extends Stage 3 watering through Oct. 31

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) extends Stage 3 landscape watering with sprinklers or irrigation systems to once every two weeks through Oct. 31. NTMWD needs greater than a 10 percent water use reduction to extend available water supplies until drought conditions ease.

“Every gallon we save now will help extend our water supply during the hot, dry summer months and until the drought has ended,” Thomas Kula, executive director of NTMWD, said. “NTMWD consumers with automatic sprinkler systems should operate their systems manually to ensure the lawn is watered only when needed and within their cities’ guidelines.”

Recent rain events had no significant impact to the reservoir level at Lavon Lake. Lavon Lake received less than a foot of rain inflow and remains 11.47 feet below the normal conservation level. Lake Jim Chapman received inflows but remains 6.92 feet below the normal conservation level. During the summer months, reservoirs can drop as much as 10 feet in elevation due to evaporation and usage.

“It’s important to preserve the water supply to maintain adequate supplies for public health, sanitation, and firefighting capabilities,” Kula said. “No one can predict when the drought will ease, and we must all take the correct measures in conserving our water.”

The Lake Texoma water supply coming online later this month will have a positive impact on the water supply; however, drought persists for Lakes Lavon and Chapman.

The Stage 3 water restrictions must remain in place and these actions are in response to, but not limited to, time of year and weather conditions as written in the NTMWD Drought Contingency/ Water Emergency Response Plan.

“I encourage everyone to conserve and follow all water management strategies to prevent or delay the initiation of Stage 4,” Kula said.

For more information on water conservation, visit www.northtexaswateriq.org or www.ntmwd.com

For more local news, pick up a copy of this week's Wylie News or access the e-edition via this web site: